Lady Burghersh was the third daughter of the 4th Earl of Mornington and the niece of the 1st Duke of Wellington. In 1811 she married John, Lord Burghersh, who succeeded as 11th Earl of Westmorland in 1841 on the death of his father. Their son, the Hon. George Fane (1819-1848) succeed his father as Lord Burghersh but he died seven years later and thus never succeeded to the Earldom, which passed to his younger brother Francis.
The primary version of this composition by Lawrence was sold at Christie's, London, Nov. 20, 1992, lot 24. George Fane was born in Florence in 1819. His portrait was painted there a year later. A study for the child is in the Frederick and Lucy S. Herman Foundation, Williamsburg, VA.